Former Vanderbilt hoops assistant dies suddenly while jogging

Monday, July 11, 2011 at 7:42pm

Staff reports

Neil Dougherty, a former Vanderbilt assistant, collapsed and died late last week while jogging in Indianapolis. The news quickly made its way through the college basketball world and continued to make headlines Monday.

Dougherty was 50.

He was working with iHoops, a joint NCAA-NBA venture designed to promote youth involvement in basketball at the time of his death.

“Serving the game he loved, Neil has been a driving force and true visionary in the path of building iHoops from its earliest days,” NCAA Vice President Greg Shaheen said in a statement. “Neil's commitment to assuring young people experience the joy and satisfaction of the game as he did will empower our focus going forward.”

Dougherty’s most recent college job was as head coach at TCU from 2002-08. His record in six seasons was 75-106.

"TCU is saddened to learn of the passing of former head basketball coach Neil Dougherty," said a statement from the TCU athletics department. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time."

Dougherty coached under Eddie Fogler at Vanderbilt from 1989-93, a period which included the 1990 NIT championship. He followed Fogler to the University of South Carolina and then was on the staff at Kansas from 1995-2002.

“Our basketball program is deeply saddened by the loss of Coach Dougherty, whose class and integrity were inspirational to all of us,” current TCU coach Jim Christian said in a statement. “My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.”